Canyon Lake

"After spending the past three and a half months in a small studio apartment in Philadelphia, I have been really craving nature. From the moment I arrived at my sister’s house in Arizona, red rocks and giant cacti have been on my brain—the light at the end of my two-week self-quarantine tunnel. Given the current climate in Arizona, we quickly ruled out any trips that require an overnight stay, and focused only on spots short enough for day trips that allow us to bring our own food to avoid any pit stops or contact with others. Luckily, Canyon Lake, located in Tonto National Forest, is just an hour drive from my sister’s place in Scottsdale. (While most of Tonto National Forest is now closed due to fires, Canyon Lake remains open to the public.) We’re planning on hitting the road early one weekday morning (to avoid crowds), and bringing our own kayaks to spend part of the day on the lake, and the other half hiking nearby."